Nepal's Tiger Population on the Rise

Yesterday was World Tiger Day and tiger lovers everywhere were given an extra reason to celebrate: a joint study revealed that the number of tigers in Nepal has jumped from 121 to 155 in a single year.

Wildlife poachers, who typically sell the tiger's skins and bones to make traditional Chinese medicines, have long posed a threat to these endangered animal's lives. The three-month long tiger census counted the tiger populations in the country's national parks.

As a result of this success, Nepal has declared 2010 International Tiger Year and has made a new commitment to double the country's tiger population by 2020.

Perhaps Chinese conservationists could take a lesson from this Nepalese success and apply it to the plight of the Tibetan Antelope—a species whose numbers continue to dwindle because of illegal poaching.

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